1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to an integrated-type suction pipe module and a refrigerator having the integrated-type suction pipe module and, more particularly, to a refrigerator having an integrated-type suction pipe module which is constructed such that a suction pipe is embedded in a foam body.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a refrigerator is provided with a refrigerant circuit. The refrigerant circuit includes a compressor, a condenser, a pressure reducing unit, an evaporator, and refrigerant pipes. The compressor compresses a refrigerant. The condenser condenses the refrigerant fed from the compressor. The pressure reducing unit comprises a capillary tube or an expansion valve, and reduces a pressure of the refrigerant fed from the condenser. The evaporator evaporates the refrigerant fed from the pressure reducing unit, and absorbs heat from air which circulates in a cooling compartment of the refrigerator, thus cooling the cooling compartment. The refrigerant pipes connect the compressor, the condenser, the pressure-reducing unit, and the evaporator to each other, to provide a path where the refrigerant flows.
The evaporator is installed in the cooling compartment of the refrigerator, while the compressor, the condenser, and the pressure-reducing unit are placed in a machine room defined in a cabinet of the refrigerator at an outside of the cooling compartment.
Of the refrigerant pipes, a refrigerant pipe to define a path where the refrigerant flows from the evaporator into the compressor is designated as a suction pipe. The conventional suction pipe is designed such that a part of the suction is arranged between an outer casing of the cabinet to form an outer surface of the refrigerator and an inner casing of the cabinet to form an inner surface of the refrigerator, while being embedded in a urethane foam body to be isolated from an interior of the cooling compartment and the atmosphere. Further, another part of the suction pipe which is exposed to the machine room, is covered with a tube to be isolated from the atmosphere.
However, the conventional refrigerator having such a suction pipe has a problem in that it is difficult to appropriately arrange the suction pipe between the outer casing and the inner casing of the cabinet so that the suction pipe is completely isolated from a surface of the inner casing, thus a heat exchange process may occur between the interior of the cooling compartment and the suction pipe. The refrigerator has another problem in that the part of the suction pipe which is placed in the machine room and is covered with the tube, may not be completely covered with the tube at both ends of the tube, thus dew may be formed on the exposed parts of the suction pipe. The refrigerator has a further problem in that the part of the suction pipe which is covered with the tube is exposed to the machine room, thus degrading the appearance of the machine room.